DESCRIPTION

No C 14
Richmond, The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts 60-23
Black-figure amphora
Group E

Zeus is seated on a throne. He is represented facing. Seated, he is almost as tall as the surrounding standing figures. The feet rest on a footstool. The forearms are extended horizontally forward, the right hand grasping a thunderbolt, the left hand holding a staff. The god has a pointed beard and wears his long hair loose. His dress consists of a chiton and a himation, which covers the right upper arm and the left arm in part.

Athena is represented emerging from the head of Zeus, facing. Her dress presumably consists of a peplos and the aigis. The aigis is bordered by a fringe of serpents and is' decorated with a gorgoneion. The goddess wears a helmet, carries a shield on the left arm and holds a spear in the right hand.

There are two deities on each side of the picture. On the right a goddess with a crown on her head, the right forearm raised, with palm turned inward and extended fingers, the left arm hanging down with clenched fist, and Ares, characterised as such by helmet, shield, spear and greaves. On the left side a goddess, the arms extended obliquely upward, with palms turned towards each other and extended fingers, and Hermes, identified by the petasos, the kerukeion and the endromides.

The throne has rectangular legs decorated with double palmettes and cut-out incisions round their stems. The throne is backless, but has a horse's protome at the rear corners.

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